


Rome

by orphan_account



Series: A Tale of Seven Cities [5]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Engagement, F/M, Fluff, Multi, Wedding, married au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 04:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14277357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Rome was the only place where two Joneses found themselves being tied to the love of their lives: one through engagement; the other through marriage.





	1. Chapter 1

Rome 

  1. The First Engagement of the Heart



Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper walked hand in hand through the ancient streets of Rome as the intense light from the Italian sun beat down overhead. Betty was leaning against her boyfriend’s arm as he guided her through the streets.  The two of them were smiling at one another as they wandered through the crowded city.

“So, erm, what time do Veronica and Archie need us to arrive at the show tonight?” Jughead suddenly asked causing Betty to glance up at him in surprise. Her eyes met his, and she let out a deep breath before pulling out her phone and checking.

“At eight o’clock, why?” Betty asked as she glanced up at Jughead, who was watching her intently. He scratched the back of his neck and fixed his beanie for a moment before finally replying to her.

“I wanted to take you out for dinner tonight. You know as just the two of us. We haven’t had a lot of time together, I mean apart from today of course.” He was looking at her nervously, and Betty could tell that he wasn’t too sure at how to address this. It was as if something else was weighing on his mind.

“Of course we can go out tonight, Juggie, but is something else the matter? You seem really tense.” Betty informed him with a small frown as she ran a hand over his arm, in an attempt to ease some of his inner turmoil.

“I’m just not really looking for to the show. There will be too many people there for my liking, and I’m not looking forward to watching several women parade up and down. I mean I don’t mind it when you do it for Jellybean for her assignments, but some of Veronica’s models have hit on me in the past, so there’s that as well.” Betty could remember that all too well and knew her boyfriend’s plight. She’d despised that as well.

“Well, I suppose that dinner will take your mind off of everything. Plus, you’ve always had space in your stomach for Italian cuisine, so we’d best indulge you while we’re here, right?” Betty smiled up at her boyfriend, who pulled her in closer to him so that he could now breath in the familiar scent of vanilla that just happened to be Betty.

Betty rested her head against his shoulder as they continued their walk through the streets of Rome. “Now, should we head back to the hotel and get changed?” Jughead nodded and helped lead her back to the exquisite, world-class hotel that Veronica had chosen for their holiday.

“So, have you heard back from your Mom?” Jughead asked as they ambled along the streets together, still holding on to one another. They could see the hotel at the end of the road, but they weren’t trying to get there in a hurry.

“No, she's as stubborn as always.” Betty sighed heavily as they weaved in and out of the crowd while looking around. The busy streets were crammed with tourists eating ice creams, looking around the city and enjoying the sites around them.

“Aren’t all Coopers stubborn?” Jughead pointed out with a small smirk as he stared down at his incredibly stubborn girlfriend as she rolled her eyes at him. Though they both knew that out of the two of them, Jughead was more stubborn than Betty.

“And the Joneses aren’t?” Betty teased with a smile as she looked up at him with those bright jade eyes that he had fallen in love with. There honestly wasn’t a single part of Betty Cooper that Jughead didn’t love with every fibre of his being.

“Touché, Cooper. Anyway, what did the two of you argue over? You never told me.” Jughead suddenly grew serious as he pulled her into the shade of the hotel lobby. They headed towards the elevator as Betty paled slightly.

“Many things, but mainly you.” Betty eventually admitted to him causing his eyes to grow wide at that, though he conceded that he should have expected that. Alice Cooper may have preferred him to Archie, but that didn’t mean that didn’t mean that she actually like Jughead.

“Me? What have I done this time? Last I checked, I haven’t gotten you pregnant, I haven’t killed anyone, and I don’t think that I’ve joined a gang recently. I run with a motorcycle club, but that’s all the Serpents are now.” Jughead rambled causing a grin to grace Betty’s lips at his incessant mumbling. She loved it when Jughead got like this, though it was often an infrequent occurrence.

However, she knew that he wanted to know more and her face morphed back to its previous series expression. “I know that, but it isn’t even that, Juggie. It’s her unreasonable expectations again.”

“Then what is it?” Jughead asked, removing all traces of joking from his face as he and Betty stepped out of the elevator and made their way to their room.

“She’s been talking about how you’re just hoping that your book will work out even though you’ve gotten a publishing deal and the first book will be published in August. She keeps on going on and on about how it’s not going to work out for you. She’s also been saying that you’ll just leave me because I’m not thin enough nor am I adventurous enough for you.” Betty finally confided in him causing his eyes to widen in shock before he started laughing. His laughter was infectious, and Betty soon joined in with him.

Once Jughead had calmed slightly, he voiced his thoughts to her. “Well, she’s wrong. I don’t care if you’re not a stick insect like the models in Veronica’s parade. I happen to love all of your curves. They’re perfect, and I love every inch of your body, and honestly, if your mother can’t see that then she’s not worth your time. As well as that, ‘not adventurous’, Betts, we almost lost over virginity on a kitchen counter. We did lose it on a sofa, and we’ve experimented with all sorts during our lives. She hasn’t a clue what she’s talking about.”

“Please don’t tell my mom all of that,” Betty mumbled, knowing that Alice Cooper would be less than pleased with that revelation. Though she knew that he was right about everything that he had just said. A blush spread across her cheeks at the mention of it though.

“I won’t. As for my book? Well, the two of us already have great jobs in the New York Times, and if it doesn’t work out too well, then I can be content with my work with you.” Jughead informed her with a small smile because he knew that he’d be happy provided that Betty was by his side.

“It is going to work out, Juggie,” Betty told him firmly, allowing no room for argument on the subject causing him to nod slowly and smile as he opened the door to their room. As soon as he had done that and had stepped into the central area, he cupped Betty’s cheeks in both his hands.

“If you believe that, then I believe that because I believe you, Betty.” Jughead murmured causing Betty to reminisce about when she’d told him that she’d believed him when he said that FP hadn’t killed Jason. Though before she could kiss him, he added: “Now, go get changed, because we have food waiting for us.”

“Okay,” Betty mumbled and then she headed to the wardrobe to find an appropriate dress.

...

To say that Jughead was nervous when he sat down opposite Betty in the restaurant of the hotel would have been an understatement. “So, erm, I didn’t just ask you here because we hadn’t spent a lot of time together lately,” Jughead informed her as his eyes wracked over her form, taking in everything about her. She was dressed in a simple white dress that clung to her waist before fanning out from there and stopping above her knees. She looked ethereal, and it took all his restraint not to back out of this.

“You didn’t? Colour me intrigued.” Betty leant forward with a smile as Jughead took both her hands in his gently. Cerulean eyes met a jade gaze as he gulped again before deciding that it was now or never.

“No, I didn’t.” He swallowed once more before lifting the immense weight off of his chest. “Betty, I honestly don’t know where to start with this. You see, I’ve been in love with you since we were about six. I don’t know what it was, but you were always the one I loved. Most of my first stories were about you. You were my muse throughout my entire life.” She smiled at that as a blush stained her cheeks while she bowed her head slightly as his gaze was almost too intense.

“Betts, look at me, please.”  She did as asked, meeting his gaze again. “When we were fifteen, I decided to take the risk and kissed you. I didn’t actually expect you to kiss back, but you did, and that gave me hope until you started babbling about that damned car.” They shared a smile at that, remembering their first investigation.

“I’m sorry about that.” She mumbled to him causing Jughead to merely shake his head at her slowly before he ran his thumb over her hand again. Betty watched his movements before bringing their gazes back together.

“I’m not. I loved how passionate you were about the case, and honestly, I wouldn’t have had our first kiss any other way. You have done so much for me, Betty. You loved me when I thought no one else would. You accepted me when no one else would bother. You did everything you could to protect me, and you supported me throughout. I have no idea what I would have done without you, Elizabeth Cooper.”

Jughead rose slowly and made his way to the other side of the table as he moved his right hand to his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He knelt down in front of her before opening the box and speaking. “I loved you throughout the course of our lives, and I would like to continue that in the future, so would you, my Betts, my Juliet, my Elizabeth Cooper, marry me?”

He opened the box and showed her the golden ring with a large diamond in its centre surrounded by several other diamonds as well as emeralds that alternated. It was beautiful and delicate, and the mere sight reduced Betty to tears.

“Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes.” Betty sobbed as Jughead rose and slipped the ring onto her finger before allowing her to jump into his arms. Betty pulled Jughead’s face towards hers so that her lips could claim his. It was soft sweet and innocent, very much like their first kiss, and like that it was the beginning of something new for the two of them.

And in that shimmering moment only they mattered.


	2. History Repeating Itself

  1. History Repeating Itself



 

The marriage of Juliet Jones and Violet Andrews was by no means a small affair. A year of planning and careful arrangements had allowed them to book the same hotel where Jughead had proposed to Betty twenty-one years previously and now, waiting in one of the rooms of the main hall, Juliet was being to feel her nervous mounting up. Everyone she knew would be there watching, and she had no idea what they would think.

Knock! Knock! She spun around as the door opened to reveal her brother and parents, who all stood there in awe. There were tears in Betty’s eyes as she looked at her daughter while Jughead seemed incredibly proud of her and Matthew looked as if he couldn’t have been happier.

“You look beautiful, Jules, you really do,” Matthew informed her as he gently embraced his older sister before smiling at the dress that their Aunt Jellybean had designed and made with a little help from Eleanor.

It was an ivory dress with lace covering the bust and making up the sleeves, which stopped at her elbows. Her hair was entwined into a delicate bun while around her neck was a golden necklace with a sapphire pendant. Around her wrist was the single heirloom that Jughead had from his mother, a single gold bracelet.

“Thank you, Matt.” She then turned to her parents before smiling at them. “I think I have everything. Something old.” She pointed at the bracelet. “Something new.” She pointed to her dress. “Something borrowed.” She showed one of her shoes, which Betty had worn for her wedding. “Something blue.” Her hand fell to her necklace.

“Yes, that’s everything, and you look like an angel, Juliet,” Betty informed before embracing her daughter gently. “And I’m so proud of you. I know that you have had to fight through all the horrors that people have thrown at you and I am so proud that you pushed through all of this.” Betty murmured as she pulled away and looked at her daughter carefully as she fought back several tears.

“Don’t cry now, Mom. I’ll start crying if you do.” Betty nodded as she stepped back before Jughead stepped forward. “Dad?” Jughead had been silent throughout, and he suddenly broke into a brilliant smile.

“You look truly ethereal, Juliet, and I just can’t believe that I get to walk you down the aisle in a few moments.” She gently took him into her embrace as Jughead held her tightly to him before adding: “But you are still my little girl.” Juliet smiled at that as Jughead placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Well, we best get into our places, but we’ll be there in a when you walk down the aisle.” The two other Jones smiled at the father and daughter as Betty spoke. “We’ll be here, Jules and I know that you’re nervous, but I promise you, the nerves are worth it.” Juliet nodded at that as Matthew took Betty gently by the arm.

“See you soon, Jules and if you feel nervous, just look for someone who makes you feel comfortable,” Matthew spoke quietly as usual, and with that, they disappeared through the door.

“It’ll be alright, and trust me; you’ll feel happier when it’s all over.” Juliet nodded at that before gently hooking her arm through Jughead’s arm before letting out a shaky breath. Jughead noted this and rubbed her hand gently.

Before Juliet knew it, it was time to walk in and slowly she and Jughead made their way slowly down the aisle. She could see her mother, her Aunt Jellybean and her granddad, along with Veronica and Archie as well as Kevin, Fangs, Sweet Pea, Toni and Cheryl. Behind her were Eleanor Keller and Destiny Topaz-Blossom, who were holding her train and were dressed in lavender. Yet, she could also see Alice and Hal Cooper, Fred and Mary Andrews and Hiram and Hermione Lodge, but not her grandma Gladys, who she’d met once. She wasn’t welcome here at her granddaughter’s wedding.

However, her eyes were soon fixated on the other woman at the end of the aisle. Violet Andrews was dressed in an equally elegant ivory dress with a sweetheart neckline and a chiffon skirt along with the necklace that Juliet had bought her. The two twenty-one-year-olds smiled at one another as they looked at each other.

Both young women recited traditional vows before finally being declared Partners for life. The two young women kissed each other tenderly and gently before becoming one. The two turned to those gathered with broad smiles before their families rose to applaud them. The two young women kissed once more as they held onto one another.

...

Evening settled in quickly, and everyone began to sit down for the formal meal. Matthew and Eleanor escorted both freshly married young women inside too much applause from their respective families. They all rose and watched as Violet sat down, causing them to follow her when Juliet spoke up. “I know that you all want to hear the speeches and to watch our first dance, but I am still a Jones.” She paused for a moment before she looked back at Violet. “And so now is my wife, and word of warning darling, we like to eat, a lot, so we shall eat now before anything else shall take place because honestly, I’m starving.”

The crowd all chuckled at that before the food was all brought in. The conversation was mainly made about the wedding ceremony or the two wives, who were giggling together. Their parents exchanged smiles and the same joy that they’d always felt when they saw their two daughters together. Henry sat with Eleanor, Destiny and Matthew and was constantly flirting with the young Topaz-Blossom.

When all were finished with eating, Matthew slowly rose. Silence fell over the crowd as they looked at the youngest Jones. Tall, dark hair and with slight olive undertones, Matthew was a true Jones boy, but the eyes were definitely Cooper, and so was his smile. Yet, that wasn’t what most focused on because it was clear that he was shaking.

“Erm, I would like a moment of your time, please, to talk about Juliet.” Everyone turned to face him as Eleanor gently grasped his free hand while Matthew swallowed slowly. Focusing on his father’s face, he spoke quietly, but the silence allowed all of them to hear him. “Juliet, my older sister, by what was it, fifteen minutes, but alas, she’s never let me forget that. Yet, despite this, trait, I could not have asked for a kinder or better sister. Now, Henry may disagree with me, but I can assure you that Juliet holds that title for me.”

He paused as Juliet dabbed at her eyes as her little brother continued with his speech. “As we are all family here, you are all aware that my Aspergic traits have meant that I am often difficult to be around. I can be cruel, cold and emotionless on my worse days, yet, still, despite all of this, Juliet has stuck beside me through thick and thin. When I had my first horrendous attack in London and snapped at you, you didn’t back away. You consoled me and reassured me that everything would be alright. When I first met Violet and Henry, and later Destiny and finally Eleanor, you were by my side, Jules and you were there supporting me. For that, there is no gratitude in the world that you do not deserve, Jules. You have put up with what most, even our own grandmother, Gladys saw as a nightmare, and turned it into just another difference in our family. You have ensured that others treated me as there equal and I am truly thankful for that.”

He smiled at Juliet, who reached out to him with her free hand to clasp his hand in hers gently as Matthew turned to Violet. “Now, Violet, Jules can be a pain when she wants to be, but she’s a Jones, and well, we all are. But, I trust that you will protect and love and cherish her in every way that she deserves. I can assure you that Juliet will always return that love for you. You see, us Joneses, we give our hearts but once. You have Jules’ in your keeping, so be tender with it and guard it because it is yours now, and I wouldn’t have any other looking after it.”

He paused and looked at his father and grandfather, who nodded at him as he turned back to his sister and sister in law. “So welcome to the Jones family. We’re as stubborn as hell, but then again, you’re also an Andrews, and they’re just as headstrong, not to mention your Lodge blood because that’s an entirely different matter. But, I sincerely hope that you’re prepared for lots of large meals, copious amounts of compliments and declarations of love as well as the never-ending sarcasm. You honestly can’t escape it. Trust me, I tried.” Laughter broke out at that as Matthew let out a final breath before carrying on.

“So, thank you for joining our family and thank you for making Jules a lot happier. I’m honestly ecstatic that you are my new sister.” With that, applause broke out, and Matthew quickly sat down while Juliet dabbed at her eyes before embracing her little brother carefully. Everyone in the room had been so surprised that he had finished the speech and there wasn’t a single person who wasn’t proud of him or the young women who he’d spoken so fondly about.

“Well, I don’t know how I’m meant to top that,” Archie informed the crowd as he rose. “After all, this has always been Jug’s area and not mine, and now it appears that Matthew has also inherited that trait, but oh well, I’ll give it my best shot.”

“Violet Mary Elizabeth, you were named for the three women who have made my life infinitely better. Violet for Veronica because we honestly weren’t going to have Veronica the II. We’re not Joneses after all with all the Forsythes, Forsythias and Pendletons.” There was a hum of laughter at that as Jughead, Jellybean and FP rolled their eyes dramatically at him. “As for Mary, well, you have my mom’s kind nature and drive that we are all proud of – even I can see that.” They all nodded in agreement. “And finally, Elizabeth, from our darling Betty, who we all know has been a second mother to you. Like Betty, you are intelligent, and kind, and brave, and beautiful and have a strange attraction to a Jones, but granted, Juliet’s pretty than Jughead. No offence, Jug.”

He turned to look at Jughead, who merely shrugged at him. “Whatever you say, Red.”

“Anyway, the day you came out to us, you were shaking with fear; I can remember it so clearly. I was shocked, but honestly, you could have told me anything, and I would have been proud of you. I was surprised at first when I saw you with Juliet, I’m not going to lie, but I guess that this version of the tale has worked out much better than the actual play. I know that you are happy and I will always support that.” Archie beamed at Violet, who beamed in response as she fought back the tears of joy.

“Now, Juliet, you’re now also an Andrews, so erm, actually, you know what, you were always an Andrews, the moment you came into this world. You’re the daughter of my best friend and my brother, and you were always family, you’ve just made it official today, but if you ever want to escape the craziness, we’re here for you.” Juliet giggled at that and nodded happily as Archie smiled and then sat down allowing Jughead to stand up.

“Right, so my son has proved that he can conquer his Aspergers and give a brilliant speech and then my titian friend, who has never been the most literately adept, brings us to the urge of tears, and I’m expected to follow that? Seriously? You all want the damaged, loner, outcast from the wrong side of the tracks to do that?” He looked around at all of them seriously before looking at the two women dressed in white.

“Violet, you have been a blessing to our family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better wife for my daughter. So thank you. Thank you for putting up with our craziness, and weirdness. Thank you for supporting all of us and never giving up. For that, I think Violet deserves some applause and our gratitude.” The room burst into applause for Violet, who blushed and smiled as Juliet pressed a gentle kiss to her burning cheek.

“Yet, my little Jules, it is you that I also need to thank.” The room went silent. “I shall not repeat what everything else has said, but it is true, that you have done so much. Yet, it is for this wedding and more importantly its place that I must thank you for. You see, in this very dining room, twenty-two years ago, I asked Betty to marry me. A fact, that you played upon when you asked Violet if the ceremony could take place here.” The room felt their eyes widening as barely any of them knew this fact.

“Yet, there is a part of this tale that I have not told you, and it goes back even further. It goes back to the origins of your name.” Jughead informed her as he glanced down at Betty. “You asked me once how you got your name, and I said that I’d tell you at your wedding, well here we are, and I made you a promise, so here we go.” Juliet could vividly remember that promise when she was sixteen, and she grinned up at her father as he gulped.

“You see, in the midst of a murder investigation, I found myself working with the one person I’d loved all my life, Betty. One day, after a tragic, and a rather disappointing visit to the Sister’s of Quiet Mercy, I went to see Betty.” Betty bit her lip at the memory as Jughead gulped at what he was about to divulge to everyone around him, but there was no going back now. “Erm, I temporarily borrowed Fred’s ladder and climbed up to Betty’s window. She opened the window, and I said: ‘Hey there, Juliet’.” The crowd gasped in shock at him as Jughead flushed red.

“After a lengthy discussion of parents, well, at least it seemed quite long, I finally started stuttering, and then, I took the chance and kissed her. It was amazing until she pulled away and suddenly remembered something about the murder case, but hey, we solved the murder, and here we are some thirty-one-years later.” Jughead beamed down at his wife before turning back to his daughter. “So, you symbolised both our new union when we transitioned from friends to something more and then when you were born, you became the symbol of our new life.”

Juliet’s eyes were brimming with tears. “But you are so much more than that. You are not just our daughter – you are our pride and joy and so’s Matt, but it’s your big day. You are still my little girl to this day, even if you have married an Andrews and I think Violet and Juliet, in my opinion, sounds better than Romeo and Juliet. Then again, I’ve never really conformed to the normal. So, I now that I’m done, because honestly if you let me carry on, we’d be here for the rest of eternity, I think that you two should do something you love, and we all know that isn’t listening to speeches.” Juliet nodded at that as Jughead sat down again before both young women rose quietly and moved to the spacious area.

In the background, Archie and Henry slipped towards the piano and guitar. After a moment, music filled the room and Archie began to sing the Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The two women began to sway to the music before twirling and spinning to the music. They turned each other around and held onto each other gently and tenderly as the music filled their souls.

Nothing in this world could remove their smiles as clung to one another. They were happy and loved as well as in love, and they were surrounded by family, so there was no need to complain. After all, their entire family had chosen to put aside all differences to show their support for the two young women that they all so adored and there was nothing that could take that away from them.

As Jughead watched them, he pulled Betty into him and murmured: “I always thought that Rome would merely be just another city with one powerful memory, but it does appear that history loves to repeat itself.” Betty beamed up at him as he pressed a delicate kiss to her forehead.

“Love has that power, Juggie.” She muttered, and they both knew that she was right about that because, in the place where they’d set out to cement their relationship, their eldest child also had found her heart partnered with another.

All, under the sparkling stars of Rome.


End file.
